Deep Dungeon: I’ve been thrown into a game-like world with a class system. Armed with a mediocre ability and no allies, I’ll take it easy and progress at my own pace
I immediately stepped out onto the terrace. The view from the terrace was nothing but ocean, ocean, ocean as far as the eye could see. Just as I had expected, this place jutted out like a plateau from the cliff, and looking down made me dizzy due to the sheer height. It looked to be about two hundred meters… no, closer to three hundred meters above sea level.
As I stood there shivering, a voice suddenly called out, and instinctively, I turned toward it.
“Hey there!”
“H-hello…”
Waving at me with a smile was Ms. Yamada, her black hair framing droopy eyes.
Apparently, she was the owner of the corner room.
“Matsui-kun, have you checked your smartphone?”
“N-no.”
“You should take a look.”
“A-ah, thanks.”
Completely unfazed by how Ms. Yamada stretched, basking in the refreshing breeze with a contented “Mmm,” I felt uncomfortable under the intense aura of sunlight—me, a being of shadows—and retreated back into the room.
Right, I was supposed to check my phone.
Hmm. Words appeared on the screen:
‘Activate Gacha.’
Even though I wasn’t sure what that meant, it seemed I needed to follow the instructions. Concerned, I figured it was better to just do it quickly.
When I tapped the smartphone, a button labeled “Materialize” popped up, so I slid it.
‘”Knowledgeable Dolphin” has been activated.’
Floating midair was a pale blue dolphin with white accents—not a realistic dolphin, but something more like an icon.
“What would you like to know?”
“It spoke!”
“The search results for ‘It spoke’ are zero.”
“Wait, wait.”
The search continued with “Wait, wait.” So this knowledgeable dolphin is like some kind of guidebook?
I stared at the dolphin. Hmm… At best, it’s probably just a help function.
“Tell me your name.”
“Kai…”
“Gah! Wait. Dolphin is fine.”
This dolphin is too much. Though it already feels questionable in many ways, it’s not me—it’s whoever set up this Deep Dungeon thing. Not me!
Alright, the test run is over. Let’s start asking about the Deep Dungeon.
“Does everyone have a chance to clear the Deep Dungeon?”
“Yes, yes they can.”
“What are the features of the gacha options ‘Descent,’ ‘Divine Artifact,’ and ‘Truth’?”
“I hate ‘Divine Artifacts.’ ‘Descent’ even more.”
That’s not an answer. When I asked again, it explained properly.
I understood why the dolphin harbored such resentment.
To explain the divine artifacts, one must understand the items like weapons and armor in the Deep Dungeon.
It’s a typical setup: items have rarity levels. From lowest to highest: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Legendary, and Mythical.
You can probably imagine by now. Divine Artifacts are Mythical-tier items, obtainable only through gacha. Their performance is said to be absolutely cheat-level.
Though I don’t know the specifics yet. Ask my classmates? No way—they’d die.
Next, let’s briefly talk about the despised “Descent.” Honestly, I don’t even feel like talking about it anymore…
But Descent is incredible. Max-level heroes fight on your behalf.
These heroes possess various abilities that cannot be acquired through leveling up or skill acquisition.
A guaranteed unstoppable force—that’s Descent.
Lastly, let’s touch on Truth. Think of it as granting system-like abilities in games.
It shows maps, current location, monster stats, item appraisals, and acts as my help function.
If it were save & load functionality, it’d be godlike—but apparently, that doesn’t exist, according to the dolphin.
At least Truth gave me relatively specific details compared to Divine Artifacts and Descent. It might seem lackluster compared to the other two—but no, that’s not true.
Think of it as a strategy guide instead of just help.
‘I’ll conquer another world with just a strategy guide.’
Amazing, me.
……Maybe I’ll take a nap.
◇◇◇
“Yawn…”
Normally, I’d drift off during class time, which makes me sleepy. That’s the truth.
But the moment I looked at my smartphone, I paled.
“Slept too long.”
I intended to head to the lobby right away, thinking classmates might be gathering—but it’s not evening, it’s night!
The clock read midnight. I definitely overslept. Well, at this hour, I probably won’t bump into anyone.
“Alright, let’s go.”
I tend to mutter to myself when alone, but become completely silent around others. One of my seven mysteries. Ha, ha, ha.
Then, I noticed the floating stuffed-animal-like dolphin.
Right, I hadn’t tried what I planned to while lying down asleep.
I picked up the smartphone and tapped the Deep Dungeon app, which couldn’t be closed or switched once activated.
“View Change”
After materializing the gacha, a game-like menu appeared, but checking the phone while moving could cause accidents, and it’s impossible during battles.
So saying “View Change” via voice command shifts the display from the phone to my field of vision.
Voice recognition aside, it’s annoying that there’s no explanation for “View Change.” But if it exists, it’s slightly convenient; otherwise, dungeon exploration isn’t hindered.
Only I, who possesses the Knowledgeable Dolphin, know this information… but I feel no superiority or specialness, just coincidence.
See, it feels like using VR, and my excitement is building.
Menu operations are done either mentally or with fingertips. Personally, fingertips are easier. I positioned the menu in the upper-right of my vision and the map window in the upper-left.
Alright, good enough.
I can also check my stats. I’ll confirm them as I progress through the dungeon.
For now, knowing it works is enough.